After all those years seeing his team match up with the Lakers in the playoffs, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich made one honest conclusion about coaching against Kobe Bryant.

“Kobe’s a pain in the (rear),” Popovich said in 2012. “He’s been a pain in the (rear) since he came into the league and he still is.”

Two years later, it appears things have not changed. Bryant enters the Lakers’ game against the Spurs (4-3) tonight at Staples Center averaging a league-leading 27.5 points, which is slightly above his career average of 25.5 points per game.

That does not erase the reality that the Lakers (1-7) remain last in the Western Conference or that Bryant has shot a career-low 38.8 percent from the field. But Bryant has increased his production after playing only six games last season because of injuries to his left Achilles tendon and left knee.

Despite Bryant becoming a thorn in his side, Popovich gushed about his return.

“It’s better than nice. It’s fantastic,” Popovich said. “Having Kobe back is huge. It’s huge for the whole league, not just his team. He’s an icon as a basketball player. To not have him out there is a big loss for everybody.”

The Spurs swept the Lakers in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs, something that Popovich said “wasn’t a fair fight” without Bryant in the lineup. It turns out Popovich’s affection for Bryant goes beyond being respectful of his opponent.

Bryant approached Popovich when he coached the Western Conference All-Star teams in 2005, 2011 and 2013 eager to pick his brain about his coaching expertise. Popovich called Bryant’s interest “flattering” and “humbling.”

“Since I never had the pleasure to coach him, those All-Star deals were really fun to sit down and talk with him for 15-20 minutes to talk about life and basketball,” Popovich said. “I really cherished those moments.”

Shrinking backcourt

Reserve guard Ronnie Price will sit out tonight’s game because of an NBA-imposed suspension for being given a flagrant foul 2 in the Lakers’ loss Wednesday in New Orleans. Price was given an automatic ejection with 9:11 left in the fourth quarter after pulling down Austin Rivers from behind. But replays showed that Price attempted to stop the ball.

Price, who has a non-guaranteed contract, has averaged 4.3 points on 28.2 percent shooting and 4.4 assists in 21 minutes per game. The Lakers’ backcourt has shrunk in other areas. Steve Nash is ruled out for the entire season because of nerve complications in his back. Wayne Ellington was given an indefinite leave of absence because after his father was shot and killed on Sunday in Philadelphia.

It’s likely that second-round draft pick Jordan Clarkson will have increased responsibility. He has averaged only 3.7 points on 36.4 percent shooting in 9.9 minutes of play.

Mark Medina has been the Lakers beat writer for the Los Angeles Daily News since 2012. He also works as a Lakers insider for AM570 and is heard on national radio outlets, including The Dan Patrick Show, The Herd with Colin Cowherd, The Chris Mannix Show, Fox Sports Radio, CBS Sports Radio, Yahoo! Sports Radio and SB Nation Radio. Medina also appears frequently on Spectrum SportsNet and NBC4's "Going Roggin."